Bowling Game Playable in Separate, Remote Locations

ABSTRACT

A bowling game including at least two spaced apart bowling lanes, the bowling lanes each including two cameras, a screen and a scoreboard such that a first bowling lane includes a first camera and a third camera, a first screen and a first scoreboard; and a bowling lane includes a second camera and a fourth camera, and a second screen and a second scoreboard, wherein the game further includes at least one controller which controls the images from the cameras such that the first screen displays images from the second camera and the fourth camera and the second screen displays images from the first camera and third camera, and wherein the first camera captures images of the play at the first lane, the second camera captures images of play at the second lane, the third camera captures images of the first scoreboard and the fourth camera captures images of the second scoreboard; such that the first screen displays images of the play and scoreboard at the second lane and the second screen displays images of the play and scoreboard at the first lane.

The present invention relates to a bowling game and in particular to a bowling game that may be played by players in separate, remote locations.

Many games require all players to compete at or on a common playing area, as the play of one of the players has an impact on the game for the other players. An example of this is the game of pool.

However, there are other games, such as ten pin bowling and darts where the play by one player has no bearing or impact on the play of a second player. It is games such as these which could be played by players at separate, remote locations.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,912,432 describes a bowling system and method for bowlers bowling at different locations in which scores are automatically generated for the bowlers bowling at each of the locations; the scores are communicated between the locations; and the scores are displayed at each location.

Bowling systems typically include a plurality of pairs of bowling lanes, with each lane including an automatic pinsetter. These systems generally include automatic scoring systems which are coupled to both pinsetters in a lane pair for automatically processing pin fall information for the two lanes and displaying bowler's scores on scoring system monitors and on overhead scoring displays. It is a problem with typical bowling systems that there is a diversity in terms of both computer hardware and software used at different bowling centres, which poses significant technical barriers to communicating data directly between automatic scoring systems located at remote bowling centres. The economic cost of replacing a bowling system at a bowling centre is such that there is a very significant economic barrier to replacing the system with compatible technology.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bowling game including at least two spaced apart bowling lanes, the bowling lanes each including two cameras, a screen and a scoreboard such that a first bowling lane includes a first camera and a third camera, a first screen and a first scoreboard; and a bowling lane includes a second camera and a fourth camera, and a second screen and a second scoreboard, wherein the game further includes at least one controller which controls the images from the cameras such that the first screen is adapted to display images from the second camera and the fourth camera and the second screen is adapted to display images from the first camera and third camera, and wherein the first camera captures images of the play at the first lane, the second camera captures images of play at the second lane, the third camera captures images of the first scoreboard and the fourth camera captures images of the second scoreboard. In this way, the first screen is capable of displaying images of the play and scoreboard at the second lane and the second screen is capable of displaying images of the play and scoreboard at the first lane.

In this context, the term “scoreboard” means any display of scoring information, including, but not limited to, scoring system monitors and overhead scoring displays.

It is an advantage of the present arrangement that a player at a bowling lane may view the play and the score at a second bowling lane at a remote location even when it is not possible to communicate scoring information directly between automatic scoring systems at the bowling lane and the remote location.

In an embodiment of the invention as described anywhere herein, the first bowling lane includes a first screen which is adapted to display images from the second camera and images of the first and second scoreboards as captured by respectively the third and fourth cameras, and the second bowling lane includes a second screen which is adapted to display images from the first camera and images of the first and second scoreboards as captured by respectively the third and fourth cameras.

A game according to the invention can be played by a first and second player where the first and second players are spaced apart from each other, for example, they may be in different rooms, different buildings, different towns or cities, different counties or states, different countries or even different continents.

They are able to play together, despite the separation between them because each player is able to view a screen located at their playing area which displays information relevant to the game being played and displays images of the plays taking place at the or each remote location.

Whilst it is known to play multiplayer computer-based games through a network or the internet which have a screen displaying aspects of the game, these are computer-generated images and the games are played whilst seated in from of a computer screen. The present invention relates to a game where one or more players undertakes a physical activity that is captured by a camera and relayed to one or more remote locations. Furthermore, the information generated by the play is information related to a physical activity by a respective player.

Reference to the game hereinafter will refer to first and second bowling lanes. However, the skilled person will appreciate that there may be more than two spaced apart, separate bowling lanes forming parts of the game.

The first scoreboard is adapted to display scoring information generated by play at the first bowling lane; the second scoreboard is adapted to display scoring information generated by play at the second bowling lane. Typically, the scoring information will include a score for each play, calculated as the number of pins knocked down plus any bonus scores based on preceding plays.

In an embodiment of the invention as defined anywhere herein, the controller may be part of a computer.

The controller may display images from one or more remote cameras on the screen and/or it may display information regarding the game on the screen.

Additionally, the game may include one or more processors, optionally controlled by software, adapted to receive information generated by play at one or more of the bowling lanes, optionally convert the information according to a pre-determined algorithm, for example to determine a score, and to display the information.

The or each processor may form part of the controller. Thus, a computer may function as both the controller(s) and the processor(s).

In a further embodiment of the invention as defined anywhere herein, the first screen is connected to a first controller, the second screen is connected to a second controller and the first and second controllers are connected to each other.

In this embodiment, the term “connected” includes a direct wired connection and a direct wireless connection (e.g. via radio, infra red or microwave signals). It also includes a connection via a network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) and/or the internet. The connection of the first and second controllers enable a straightforward method for ensuring that the images from the second camera may be displayed on the first screen and the images from the first camera may be displayed on the second screen.

In this way, players can compete against each other when they are located in different places, wherein the game is capable of keeping track of each player's respective score.

The screens may show images from the remote cameras simultaneously, sequentially or as defined by a user or a controller.

In one embodiment as defined anywhere herein, each of the bowling lanes includes three or more cameras, wherein each screen is adapted to show images from all of the remote cameras (i.e. the cameras located at the other bowling lane). The screens may show the images from the remote cameras simultaneously, sequentially, as defined by a user or as defined by a controller forming part of the screen and/or processor as appropriate.

The presence of three cameras at each of the playing areas will allow the player(s) at the first bowling lane to see, for example, the play taking place at the second bowling lane, the players at the second bowling lane and the second scoreboard, and vice versa for the player(s) at the second bowling lane.

In an embodiment as defined anywhere herein, the two bowling lanes each include a further camera such that the first bowling lane includes a first screen, a first camera a third camera and a fifth camera, and the second bowling lane includes a second screen, a second camera, a fourth camera and a sixth camera, wherein the fifth camera captures images of the player(s) at the first bowling lane and the sixth camera captures images of the player(s) at the second bowling lane, and wherein the first screen is adapted to display images from the second, fourth and sixth cameras and the second screen is adapted to display images from the first, third and fifth cameras.

In a further embodiment, the fifth and sixth cameras are configured to enable videoconferencing between players at the first and second bowling areas.

The game of bowling is well suited to the apparatus defined herein, as each play is independent from a preceding play such that a preceding play has no bearing on a subsequent play. The pins are re-set after each player's turn, i.e. the playing area is re-set to a default position after each turn.

In an embodiment of the invention as defined above, the first bowling lane further includes a first microphone and a first speaker and the second bowling lane further includes a second microphone and a second speaker, wherein the first microphone is connected to the second speaker such that the second speaker is capable of emitting sounds captured by the first microphone and the second microphone is connected to the first speaker such that the first speaker is capable of emitting sounds captured by the second microphone. By “connected” in this embodiment, the skilled person will appreciate that the connection may be a wired connection, or, more commonly a wireless connection. Thus, the first bowling lane may include a first hub including the first microphone and the first speaker, wherein the first microphone and the first speaker may be connected to the hub via a wired connection or via a wireless connection; the second bowling lane may include a second hub including the second microphone and the second speaker, wherein the second microphone and the second speaker may be connected to the second hub via a wired connection or a wireless connection; and the first hub may be connected to the second hub via a wired or wireless connection. For example, the first microphone and the first speaker may be connected to the first hub via a wireless (e.g. Bluetooth) connection; the second microphone and the second speaker may be connected to the second hub via a similar wireless connection and the first and second hubs may be connected via a wireless connection (e.g. via the internet).

The inclusion of microphones and speakers permits the players to talk to each other during the game. This allows for remote coaching to take place, where the coach may be at one location and the student at a different, remote location, where the coach can see what is happening at the remote location and can provide advice from his or her location based on what is seen. It also allows for a competitive atmosphere to be created, much as if the players were all located at the same place, despite being located at remote locations.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of playing a bowling game as defined anywhere hereinabove, the method comprising:

-   -   (i) a first player at the first bowling lane making a play;     -   (ii) capturing images of the play with a first camera;     -   (iii) determining scoring information generated by the play and         displaying the score on the first scoreboard;     -   (iv) capturing images of the scoreboard with a third camera;     -   (v) transmitting the images from the first and third cameras to         the second screen;     -   (vi) a second player at the second bowling lane making a play;     -   (vii) capturing images of the play with a second camera;     -   (viii) determining scoring information generated by the play and         displaying the score on the second scoreboard;     -   (ix) capturing images of the scoreboard with a fourth camera;     -   (x) transmitting the images from the second and fourth cameras         to the first screen;     -   (xi) repeating steps (i) to (x) until the end of the game.

Typically, the score will comprise the number of pins knocked over in the given play, together with any bonus score based on preceding plays.

The skilled person will appreciate that there may be more than one first player and more than one second player. In this situation, the players may decide the order in which they will play or the order of play may be displayed on a screen. In other words, the game, as defined anywhere herein, may include a controller adapted to generate an order of play for more than two players based on a pre-determined algorithm, wherein the order of play is displayed on each of the screens.

The end of the game may be determined by a pre-defined number of plays by each player, for example, ten plays per player, where the player with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner. Alternatively, the end of the game may be determined by the first player to achieve a pre-defined score.

Typically, the score will comprise the number of pins knocked over in the given play, together with any bonus score based on preceding plays.

The skilled person will appreciate that the features specified above in connection with embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other and any of the aspects of the invention as defined. Thus, the present invention includes within its scope an aspect of the invention combined with two or more of the features described anywhere herein as optional features. All such combinations of features described herein are considered to be made available to the skilled person.

An Embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a bowling lane including a screen, a scoreboard and two cameras;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a bowling lane of a second embodiment including a screen, a scoreboard and three cameras; and

FIG. 3 is a view of the screen from the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

For the avoidance of doubt, the skilled person will appreciate that in this specification, the terms “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “width”, etc. refer to the orientation of the components as found in the game when arranged for normal use as shown in the Figures.

Part of a first embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1, which includes a first bowling lane 102, which in this embodiment is a bowling lane having a one end thereof a standard arrangement of ten pin 106. A first camera 104 is positioned to capture images of the bowling lane. The first bowling lane 102 also includes an electronic monitor 108, a control desk 112 mounted on a pedestal 114 and at least one chair 116, all of which are fairly standard equipment for a bowling game.

A display screen 110 is also provided, which is carried by the control desk 112.

A second camera 120 is located on an upper surface of the screen 110. The second camera 120 is arranged to capture images of the monitor 108.

The monitor 108 is connected to the control desk 112 such that information input into the control desk 112 is displayed on the monitor 108. The monitor 108 is also connected to a pin sensor (not shown) which determines the number of pins that were knocked down in a given throw. A processor (not shown) located within the monitor 8 receives data from the pin sensor and calculates a player's score from the information. The arrangement of the control desk 112, the monitor 8 and the pin sensor is commonly found in modern bowling alleys and is well known to the skilled person. As such, it will not be discussed in more detail herein.

A further part of the embodiment is a corresponding second bowling lane 102 a located remotely from the first bowling lane 102. The arrangement of the second bowling lane 102 a is substantially identical to the first bowling lane 102. For ease of description, the first bowling lane 102 will be described using the reference numerals as shown in FIG. 1 and the second play area will use corresponding numerals, but with an “a” suffix

As used herein, the term “local” refers to elements present at the first bowling lane 102, and the term “remote” refers to elements present at the other bowling lane, i.e. the second bowling lane 102 a.

The local first camera 104, the local second camera 120 and the screen 110 are all connected to a first controller (not shown) which in turn is connected to a corresponding second controller at the remote bowling lane 102 a. The connection between the controllers is via the internet.

The software and the hardware needed to connect two cameras over the internet are both well known to those skilled in the art and as such, will not be described in detail herein.

Each controller collects data from the respective first camera 104, 104 a and the respective second camera 120, 120 a, and transmits them to the other controller. Each controller also relays images from the respective first camera 104, 104 a and respective second camera 120, 120 a to the respective screen 110, 110 a. Thus, images from the local cameras 104 and 120 are relayed from the remote controller to the remote screen 110 a and images from the remote cameras 104 a and 120 a are relayed by the local controller to the local screen 110.

Accordingly, the local screen 110 displays simultaneously images of both the play at the remote bowling lane 102 a and of the remote monitor 108 a which displays scoring information at the remote bowling lane 102 a. Similarly, the remote screen 110 a displays simultaneously images of both the play at the local bowling lane 102 and of the local monitor 108 which displays scoring information at the local bowling lane 102.

The monitors 108, 108 a are not connected

In use a first player at the first (local) bowling lane 102 bowls one or two balls at the pins 106 as normal in a bowling game. The local first camera 104 captures the or each throw and transmits the images in digital form to the local controller. The local controller receives the image data from the local first camera 104 and transmits it to the second, remote controller, which in turn relays the data to the remote screen 110 a at the second bowling lane 102 a, where the image is displayed.

The player's score is calculated by the processor in the local monitor 108 based on data received from a pin setting apparatus located at the pin end of the lane 102. The processor displays the score on the local monitor 108.

The local second camera 120 captures images of the monitor 108 and transmits the images in digital form to the local controller. The local controller receives the image data from the local second camera 120 and transmits it to the second, remote controller, which in turn relays the data to the remote screen 110 a at the remote bowling lane 102 a, where the image is displayed.

A second player, located at the second (remote) bowling lane then takes his turn, which is captured by the remote camera 104 a and relayed to the local screen 110 at the first bowling lane in the same way as described above. The score is displayed on the remote monitor 108 a, the remote second camera 120 a captures images of the monitor 108 a and relays the data to the local screen 110 as described above.

A second embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. The integers common to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are given corresponding reference numerals, with the integers of the third embodiment having a “2” prefix. Thus, integers 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214,216 and 220 correspond to the integers 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 120 shown in FIG. 1 and described above.

The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the second camera 220 and a third camera 222 are provided in a common housing 224 located on an upper portion of the screen 210.

The second camera 220 is arranged similarly to the camera 120 of the first embodiment in that it is arranged to capture images of the monitor 208.

The third camera 222 is arranged to capture images of a player sitting in the chair 216.

The first camera 204, second camera 220 and third camera 222 are all connected to the local controller in the same way as the first camera 104 and second camera 120 described above in connection with the first embodiment, such that images from all of the first, second and third cameras 204, 220, 222 are transmitted via the internet to the remote controller and then displayed on the remote screen 210 a.

As with the first embodiment, the monitors 208, 208 a are not connected.

The local screen 210 of this embodiment is as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 shows the screen display for this embodiment. A display area 230 is divided into four sections 231, 232, 234 and 236. The display area 231 displays the image from the remote first camera 204 a located at the second bowling lane 202 a, including the remote pins 206 a.

The display area 232 displays the image from the remote second camera 222 a located at the second bowling lane 202 a, namely the image of a player sitting in the remote chair 216 a.

The display area 234 displays images from the remote camera 220 a, namely images of the remote monitor 208 a.

The display areas 236 contains advertisements or other fixed indicia.

The control desk 212 includes a communication hub (not shown) to which is connected via a Bluetooth wireless link a headset (not shown) including a microphone and a speaker. The communication hub is connected via the internet to a corresponding communication hub forming part of the remote control desk 212 a such that the local headset is connected to the remote headset and vice versa. In this way, players sitting in the chairs 216, 216 a can communicate with each other. 

1. A bowling game including at least two spaced apart bowling lanes, the bowling lanes each including two cameras, a screen and a scoreboard such that a first bowling lane includes a first camera and a third camera, a first screen and a first scoreboard; and a bowling lane includes a second camera and a fourth camera, and a second screen and a second scoreboard, wherein the game further includes at least one controller which controls the images from the cameras such that the first screen is adapted to display images from the second camera and the fourth camera and the second screen is adapted to display images from the first camera and third camera, and wherein the first camera captures images of the play at the first lane, the second camera captures images of play at the second lane, the third camera captures images of the first scoreboard and the fourth camera captures images of the second scoreboard.
 2. A game according to claim 1, wherein the first bowling lane includes a first screen which is adapted to display images from the second camera and images of the first and second scoreboards as captured by respectively the third and fourth cameras, and the second bowling lane includes a second screen which is adapted to display images from the first camera and images of the first and second scoreboards as captured by respectively the third and fourth cameras
 3. A game according to claim 2, wherein the first screen is connected to a first controller, the second screen is connected to a second controller and the first and second controllers are connected to each other.
 4. A game according to claim 1, wherein the two bowling lanes each include a further camera such that the first bowling lane includes a first screen, a first camera a third camera and a fifth camera, and the second bowling lane includes a second screen, a second camera, a fourth camera and a sixth camera, wherein the fifth camera captures images of the player(s) at the first bowling lane and the sixth camera captures images of the player(s) at the second bowling lane, and wherein the first screen is adapted to display images from the second, fourth and sixth cameras and the second screen is adapted to display images from the first, third and fifth cameras.
 5. A game according to claim 4, wherein the fifth and sixth cameras are configured to enable videoconferencing between players at the first and second bowling areas.
 6. A game according to claim 1, wherein the first bowling lane further includes a first microphone and a first speaker and the second bowling lane further includes a second microphone and a second speaker, wherein the first microphone is connected to the second speaker such that the second speaker is capable of emitting sounds captured by the first microphone and the second microphone is connected to the first speaker such that the first speaker is capable of emitting sounds captured by the second microphone.
 7. A method of playing a game according to claim 1, the method comprising: i. a first player at the first bowling lane making a play; ii. capturing images of the play with a first camera; iii. determining scoring information generated by the play and displaying the score on the first scoreboard; iv. capturing images of the scoreboard with a third camera; v. transmitting the images from the first and third cameras to the second screen; vi. a second player at the second bowling lane making a play; vii. capturing images of the play with a second camera; viii. determining scoring information generated by the play and displaying the score on the second scoreboard; ix. capturing images of the scoreboard with a fourth camera; x. transmitting the images from the second and fourth cameras to the first screen; and xi. repeating steps (i) to (x) until the end of the game.
 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein each play includes bowling one or more balls down an alley and the scoring information generated includes the score for that play.
 9. (canceled)
 10. (canceled) 